Wheel-holder.



No. 656,057. Patented Aug. l4,'i900. P. S. STEPHENS.

WHEEL HOLDER.

(Applicationfiled Nov. 7, 1898.)

(No Model.)

I ATENT FFICE.

PETER S. STEPHENS, OF WVASHBURN, ILLINOIS.

WHEEL- HOLDER.

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Iatent No. 656,057, dated August 14, 1900.

Application filed November '7, 1898. Serial No. 695,716. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PETER S. STEPHENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVashburn, in the county of Woodford and State of Illinois,'have invented a new and useful Wheel Holder Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in wheel-holders, by means of which a supporting and retaining device is provided for vehicle-wheels, being simple in construction, durable, and cheap at first cost.

My invention has for its object the provision of a suitable frame-support, upon which it is purposed to place and hold a vehiclewh'eel of a vertically-carried rod fastened to the base of said support, a lever pivoted upon said frame through which suitable mechanism is actuated, which is engaged by said vertical rod purposed to automatically engage the hub of a vehicle-wheel and hold the same firmly upon said frame-support, of the means for releasing said mechanism, and of certain other details hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

That my invention may be more fully understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of my wheel-support, the same shown in its normal position, and of a vehicle-wheel shown thereon in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the main Working parts, a portion of the figureshown broken away. Fig, 3 is a cross-section showing the means of fastening the lever.

In the drawings, A is a circular bearingplate supported on a suitable base A by means of the braces (1, extending up therefrom, the forward braces being omitted. The base A is provided with suitable means whereby it may be bolted to the floor, as shown at ct in the drawings.

Bis a vertically-carried bar or rod, the lower end of which is suitably fastened in the base A. The upper end'of the bar or rod-B enters a hollow cylinder B of suitable length, which is preferably of gas-pipe. C is a similar hollow cylinder or gas-pipe of smaller diameter than the cylinder B, which forms an elongation thereof to which it is connected by the reducer C.

D is a plunger carried in the hollow cylinder 0, provided with ahead at on its lower end, and d is a coil-springinterposed between the upper end of the bar or rod B and the head d and loosely carried in thecylinder B.

E'is a suitable locking mechanism carried within the cylinder 0 and at a point near its upper end, consisting of a pivotally-carried lug e, the same being pivoted at e in the cylinder and in such a manner that the normal position of the locking device will be in a vertical position. a shows slots in the cylinder, the function of which will be hereinafter described.

F is a lever suitably'pivoted atf to one of the braces a and has a pivotal connection with a cleat f, which is loosely carried on the ring or loop f bolted or otherwise securely fastened to the hollow cylinder B. The forward end of the lever is carried between two braces a, one ofwhich is provided with anumber of ratchet or cog teeth a purposed to'be engaged by a plate extension f fastened to the lever, or may be a part of the same if it is so desired.

G is a-coil-spring carried around the cylinder-B and the rod B between the ring f and the base-plate A, purposed to hold the cylinder 13' under compression.

When itis purposed to hold a vehicle-wheel on the frame-support, the same is laid upon the bearing-plate A, as shown in Fig. 1, and in such a manner as to have the cylinder 0 protruding through the center of the hub of said wheel. The lever F is caused to be lowered by pressure thereupon, which will by its downward pressure cause the cylinder B to descend and through the spring d, carried therein,which has a bearing relationwith the bottom of the plunger, raise the same, the upper end engaging with the lower end of the lug e, and the same presenting a cam-face will be raised in a horizontal position and by the downward movement of the cylinder 0, which is simultaneous with the upward movement of the plunger, the lug Q will be caused to engage the hub of the wheel. The more pressure applied to the lever the firmer the lug will engage the hub, the same being retained in position by engagement of the plate extension f on the lever with the cogs in the brace a. By releasing the lever F the parts herein before described as actuating the looking mechanism will be released and the same forced back into their normal positions by the coil-spring G.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a wheel-support, the combination of a main frame, of a locking-lever pivoted to said frame and having a pivotal connection with a vertically-movable cylinder, a locking mechanism pivoted in said cylinder, and of the mechanism adapted to automatically engage said lockingdevice when the cylinder is lowered, all substantially as described and shown.

2. In a wheel-support the combination with a stationary bar or rod, a telescoping cylinder carried above said rod, of a locking device pivotally carried in said cylinder at or near its outer end, a plunger loosely carried in said cylinder, of the mechanism for lowering said cylinder causing the upper end of said bar 01' rod to engage with said plunger for actuating the locking device carried in the cylinder, substantially in the manner herein shown.

3. In a wheel-support, a base-plate and a vertically-carried rod therefrom, of a cylinder telescoping on said rod and a lever pivotally secured thereto, of a locking device consisting of a lug pivotally carried in the upper end of said cylinder and purposed to be engaged by a plunger carried therein when the cylinder is lowered by means of said lever, causing a contact of said plunger with the locking device by the rod on the base-plate, in the manner described.

4. In a wheel-support,the combination with a main frame, of the bar or rod B, the telescopin g cylinder B, having the elongated red uced portion 0, of the locking device consisting of the lug 6, arranged to be actuated by a plunger carried within said cylinder, lever F, ar-

ranged to actuate the cylinder B,which when lowered will cause the locking device to be automatically set by the plunger engaging therewith, all substantially as set forth.

PETER S. STEPHENS. Witnesses:

JNo. R. TVVEEDALE, \V. O. IRELAND. 

